Senior official of Hamas said on Friday that the current situation in Gaza represents “an extremely brazen and brutal attempt to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land”.

Izzat al-Rishek, a member of Hamas’ political office, said the organization “will not surrender our legitimate struggle for freedom and self-determination.” “Either we live with our heads held high, or we die fighting” al-Rishek interpreted.

He noted that Israel struck Gaza with 6,000 bombs last week, a number provided by the Israeli Air Force.

Hamas rejected Israel’s call “to drive us from our homes once again” and “will resist Israel’s attempt to ethnically cleanse Gaza,” al-Rishek added.

The Israeli army gave an ultimatum to 1.1 million Palestinians living in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes by 8pm on Friday as part of the upcoming major ground operation.

The senior Hamas official characterized Israel’s actions in Gaza “inhuman” and “barbaric” and said they were violating “all the laws and treaties that so-called free and democratic countries claim to believe in.”